The Price of Value: Why Consumers Still Pay for What They Believe In | Shikha Jain

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Retail Voices, host Mark Lack is joined by Shikha Jain, Lead Partner for Consumer & Retail at Simon-Kucher, one of the world’s leading consultancies in pricing, sales, and marketing.This conversation goes beyond discounts and promotions to explore something far more powerful: value — how customers define it, how brands communicate it, and why it matters more than ever in an era of inflation, margin pressure, and rising consumer expectations.Shikha shares insights drawn from advising some of the world’s biggest retail and consumer brands, unpacking the psychology of price, the difference between competing on cost versus competing on value, and the growing role of transparency, purpose, and ethics in modern pricing strategies.You’ll hear insights on:How the definition of “value” has changed for today’s consumersWhy pricing and discounting are not the same — and why confusing them is costlyThe psychology of price and how perception shapes buying behaviourCommon pricing mistakes retailers make during inflationary pressureWhether consumers will truly pay more for purpose-led brandsHow to balance AI-driven pricing with fairness and ethicsWhat operational retail teams need to know about executing pricing strategyHow Shikha’s background in investment banking shapes her commercial thinkingWhat retail value creation will look like over the next five yearsThree actionable principles every retailer should apply nowWhether you’re a store leader, category manager, pricing strategist, or retail executive, this episode offers a clear, grounded framework for building profitable, trust-based pricing strategies in a volatile market.🎧 Retail Voices — real conversations with the people shaping retail today. 🎙 Hosted by Mark Lack 👉 Subscribe for more at Retail101online.comLearn more about Simon-Kucher at: https://www.simon-kucher.comTIMELINE:00:00 Introduction00:57 Who Is Shikha Jain04:07 What’s Changed About How Consumers Define Value?09:50 Why Do Retailers Still Confuse Pricing With Discounting?14:58 What About The Psychology Of Pricing?22:43 What Mistakes Are Made When Magin Is Under Pressure?27:22 What About Ethics & Personalization In Data Use?32:16 How Did Your Previous Career Impact You Thoughts Now?36:06 How To Execute On The Front Line?39:25 What Does “Value” Look Like Over The Next Few Years?43:50 The Three Simple Things?45:31 Closing Thoughts.#ShikhaJain #SimonKucher #RetailPricing #ValueBasedPricing #PricingStrategy #RetailProfitability #ConsumerValue#RetailVoices #Retail101Online #MarkLack #RetailLeadership #RetailInsights #RetailStrategy #RetailEducation#RetailIndustry #Pricing #BusinessPodcast #ConsumerBehaviour #AI #FutureOfRetailSupport the show